Knottsville, Kentucky: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 22:57, 26 August 2026

Knottsville, Kentucky
Type	Community
County	Daviess County
State	Kentucky
Earlier names	Goreham; Grocery; Blacksmith Shop; Heart's Delight
Laid out	1836, by William R. Griffith and James Millay
Named for	Leonard Knott, town blacksmith
First house	1827
Location	Eastern Daviess County, on the old Vincennes-Hartford trail

Knottsville is a community in eastern Daviess County, Kentucky, on the old Indian trail from Vincennes, Indiana to Hartford. It went by several colorful names before it became known as Knottsville, and was the cradle of the county's first Catholic community.

Goreham

The first settlement there was called Goreham and was 1½ miles east of where Knottsville was eventually built. At one time it had a post office — the only one in that section of the county, second only to the post office in Yellow Banks. A town was staked off, some buildings erected, and the community was named for a resident, Thomas Goreham. A voting place was established there.

Naming

The village that became Knottsville was laid out in 1836 by William R. Griffith and James Millay. For the first few years it was called the "Grocery", "Blacksmith Shop", and "Heart's Delight". But when Griffin was elected to the state legislature, he had the town named Knottsville. That was to honor Leonard Knott, who had built the first house there in 1827 and was the town blacksmith. The name Knottsville endured.

Early Businesses

Millay ran the first store in Knottsville. Other early settlers included B.J. McDaniel, William Higdon, L.T. Brown, and Mrs. Mary Drury. By the 1880s, the village of Knottsville included two general stores, a drug store, a shoe shop, a wagon shop, two undertaker parlors, a flour mill, saw and grist mills, and three tobacco factories.

Many Native Americans lived in that section of Daviess County in earlier years, and a large hill six miles east of Knottsville, now in Hancock County, was named Indian Hill because of the stone houses or huts that had been erected there.

First Settlers of the Precinct

Valentine Felty Husk was the first settler of the Knottsville precinct. He came from Virginia to Yellow Banks in 1796, and a few years later moved up the river to the mouth of Pup Creek. He stayed there awhile, then in 1804 followed the Indian trail inland and settled on the Knottsville-Yelvington Road.

Shortly thereafter, George Raleigh, Charles, and Benjamin Duncan came from Nelson County. James Adams settled in a spot about four miles northwest of Knottsville. The Smeathers and Bell families arrived soon afterward.

Catholic Community

The first religious service in the precinct was conducted by a preacher named Craig in the house of Benjamin Duncan in 1808. Knottsville was the cradle of the county's first Catholic community, and the Knottsville precinct would draw hundreds of early settlers to the popular religious revivals every year at the nearby campgrounds.

The first priest to visit the section was Father Elisha Durbin, who came once a month from Union County. St. Lawrence, the oldest Catholic Church in Daviess County, was started in 1821 in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Ezekiel Henning on Aull Road east of Knottsville. A log church was built in 1831 and Father John Wathen became the first resident pastor in 1833. In 1839, a brick church was built. It was replaced in 1870 with the present church, which was dedicated in 1872.

Coal Mining

Coal mining became an important activity in the Knottsville area late in the 19th century, and this activity continues to the present. At first the mines were "slope" mines, burrowing into coal seams exposed on hillsides. Improved mining techniques later led to strip mining, which greatly reduced mining employment.

Community Life

Always a strong Catholic community, Knottsville youngsters were prone to intermarry with Catholic families from Whitesville, according to Judge Gene Lanham, a descendent of early settlers. The Mary Carrico parochial school and the Bishop Soeneker Nursing Home continue the tradition of strong Catholic influence in the shaping of the abiding closeness of the people of Knottsville.

Businesses in Knottsville

J. B. Aud & Brothers - Merchants
Knottsville Free Public Library

Reference to an article by Glenn Hodges

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-The eastern Daviess County community of Knottsville was
+<div style="float:right; clear:right; margin:0 0 1em 1em;">
-on the old Indian trail from Vincennes, IN to Hartford and went
+{| style="width:260px; font-size:90%; border:1px solid #aaa; border-collapse:collapse; background:#ffffff; color:#222222;"
-by several colorful names before it became knows as Knottsville.
+|-
-The first settlement there was called Goreham and was 1 ½ miles
+! colspan="2" style="background:#2b4162; color:#ffffff; text-align:center; font-size:115%;" | Knottsville, Kentucky
-east of where Knottsville was eventually built. At one time it had
+|-
-a post office—the only one in that section of the county, second
+| '''Type''' || Community
-only to the post office in Yellow Banks. A town was staked off,
+|-
-some buildings erected, and the community was named for a resident,
+| '''County''' || [[Daviess County, Kentucky|Daviess County]]
-Thomas Goreham. A voting place was established there.
+|-
+| '''State''' || Kentucky
+|-
+| '''Earlier names''' || Goreham; Grocery; Blacksmith Shop; Heart's Delight
+|-
+| '''Laid out''' || 1836, by William R. Griffith and James Millay
+|-
+| '''Named for''' || Leonard Knott, town blacksmith
+|-
+| '''First house''' || 1827
+|-
+| '''Location''' || Eastern Daviess County, on the old Vincennes-Hartford trail
+|}
+</div>
-The village that became Knottsville was laid out in 1836 by
+'''Knottsville''' is a community in eastern [[Daviess County, Kentucky|Daviess County]], Kentucky, on the old Indian trail from Vincennes, Indiana to Hartford. It went by several colorful names before it became known as Knottsville, and was the cradle of the county's first Catholic community.
-William R. Griffith and James Millay. For the first few years, it was
-called the “Grocery”, “Blacksmith Shop”, and “Heart’s Delight”.
-But, when Griffin was elected to the state legislature, he had the
-town named Knottsville. That was to honor Leonard Knott, who
-had built the first house there in 1827 and was the town blacksmith.
-The name Knottsville endured.
-Millay ran the first store in Knottsville. Other early settlers
+==Goreham==
-included B.J. McDaniel, William Higdon, L.T. Brown, and Mrs.
+The first settlement there was called Goreham and was 1½ miles east of where Knottsville was eventually built. At one time it had a post office — the only one in that section of the county, second only to the post office in Yellow Banks. A town was staked off, some buildings erected, and the community was named for a resident, Thomas Goreham. A voting place was established there.
-Mary Drury. By the 1880’s, the village of Knottsville included two
-general stores, a drug store, a shoe shop, a wagon shop, two undertaker
-parlors, a flour mill, saw and grist mills, and three tobacco
-factories. Many Native Americans lived in that section of Daviess
-County in earlier years, and a large hill six miles east of Knottsville,
-now in Hancock County, was named Indian Hill because of
-the stone houses or huts that had been erected there.
-Valentine Felty Husk was the first settler of the Knottsville precinct.
+==Naming==
-He came from Virginia to Yellow Banks in 1796, and a few
+The village that became Knottsville was laid out in 1836 by William R. Griffith and James Millay. For the first few years it was called the "Grocery", "Blacksmith Shop", and "Heart's Delight". But when Griffin was elected to the state legislature, he had the town named Knottsville. That was to honor Leonard Knott, who had built the first house there in 1827 and was the town blacksmith. The name Knottsville endured.
-years later moved up the river to the mouth of Pup Creek. He stayed
-there awhile, then in 1804 followed the Indian trail inland and settled
-on the Knottsville-Yelvington Road. Shortly thereafter, George Raleigh,
-Charles, and Benjamin Duncan came from Nelson County.
-James Adams settled in a spot about four miles northwest of Knottsville.
-The Smeathers and Bell families arrived soon afterward.
-The first religious service in the precinct was conducted by a
+==Early Businesses==
-preacher named Craig in the house of Benjamin Duncan in 1808.
+Millay ran the first store in Knottsville. Other early settlers included B.J. McDaniel, William Higdon, L.T. Brown, and Mrs. Mary Drury. By the 1880s, the village of Knottsville included two general stores, a drug store, a shoe shop, a wagon shop, two undertaker parlors, a flour mill, saw and grist mills, and three tobacco factories.
-Knottsville was the cradle of the county’s first Catholic community,
-and the Knottsville precinct would draw hundreds of early
-settlers to the popular religious revivals every year at the nearby
-campgrounds. The first priest to visit the section was Father Elisha
-Durbin, who came once a month from Union County. St. Lawrence,
-the oldest Catholic Church in Daviess County, was started
-in 1821 in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Ezekiel Henning on Aull Road
-east of Knottsville. A log church was built in 1831 and Father John
-Wathen became the first resident pastor in 1833. In 1839, a brick
-church was built. It was replaced in 1870 with the present church,
-which was dedicated in 1872.
-Coal mining became an important activity in the Knottsville
+Many Native Americans lived in that section of Daviess County in earlier years, and a large hill six miles east of Knottsville, now in Hancock County, was named Indian Hill because of the stone houses or huts that had been erected there.
-area late in the 19th century, and this activity continues to the present.
-At first the mines were “slope” mines, burrowing into coal
-seams exposed on hillsides. Improved mining techniques later led
-to strip mining, which greatly reduced mining employment.
-Always a strong Catholic community, Knottsville youngsters
-were prone to intermarry with Catholic families from Whitesville,
-according to Judge Gene Lanham, a descendent of early settlers.
-The Mary Carrico parochial school and the Bishop Soeneker
-Nursing home continue the tradition of strong Catholic influence in
-the shaping of the abiding closeness of the people of Knottsville.
+==First Settlers of the Precinct==
+Valentine Felty Husk was the first settler of the Knottsville precinct. He came from Virginia to Yellow Banks in 1796, and a few years later moved up the river to the mouth of Pup Creek. He stayed there awhile, then in 1804 followed the Indian trail inland and settled on the Knottsville-[[Yelvington, Kentucky|Yelvington]] Road.
-===Knottsville Library===
+Shortly thereafter, George Raleigh, Charles, and Benjamin Duncan came from Nelson County. James Adams settled in a spot about four miles northwest of Knottsville. The Smeathers and Bell families arrived soon afterward.
-Originally the St. William parish library until growth required a new
-building. The Knottsville Library Association was formed, and a lot
-secured for building of the library circa 1901. The original cost to
-build was about $2,000, with all lumber and labor being donated. The
-library was a two-story frame structure, 60 ft. x 30 ft., and stood
-on the lot which later held the first St. William School. This library
-housed nearly 2,000 bound volumes, 5,000 pamphlets and magazines, and
-children's books in addition to a small museum. The upper story
-contained a stage and accessories. The lower level housed the library as
-well as the museum, which covered one fourth of the wall and floor space.
-Operated as a free public library, funds were raised for it's operation
-through association membership dues of 50 cents per year or a $10.00
-lifetime contribution by cash, work, or book donations. Funds were also
-raised through picnics, entertainments, and renting of the hall.
-A major benefactor of the library was Knottsville native William T. Ellis,
-who donated nearly 500 volumes nearing completion of the library.
-In 1911, the librarian was Mrs. Anna Hamilton. The site of the former
-library is located near the corner of Highway 144 and Monarch Road in
-Daviess County.
-Source: First Biennial Report, KY Library Extension Division 1910-1911
+==Catholic Community==
-Source: The Public Library Bulletin, No.1, Aug.1901-Jan., 1902
+The first religious service in the precinct was conducted by a preacher named Craig in the house of Benjamin Duncan in 1808. Knottsville was the cradle of the county's first Catholic community, and the Knottsville precinct would draw hundreds of early settlers to the popular religious revivals every year at the nearby campgrounds.
+The first priest to visit the section was Father Elisha Durbin, who came once a month from Union County. [[St. Lawrence Church|St. Lawrence]], the oldest Catholic Church in Daviess County, was started in 1821 in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Ezekiel Henning on Aull Road east of Knottsville. A log church was built in 1831 and Father John Wathen became the first resident pastor in 1833. In 1839, a brick church was built. It was replaced in 1870 with the present church, which was dedicated in 1872.
+==Coal Mining==
+Coal mining became an important activity in the Knottsville area late in the 19th century, and this activity continues to the present. At first the mines were "slope" mines, burrowing into coal seams exposed on hillsides. Improved mining techniques later led to strip mining, which greatly reduced mining employment.
+==Community Life==
+Always a strong Catholic community, Knottsville youngsters were prone to intermarry with Catholic families from [[Whitesville, Kentucky|Whitesville]], according to Judge Gene Lanham, a descendent of early settlers. The Mary Carrico parochial school and the Bishop Soeneker Nursing Home continue the tradition of strong Catholic influence in the shaping of the abiding closeness of the people of Knottsville.
+==Businesses in Knottsville==
+* [[J. B. Aud & Brothers]] - Merchants
+* [[Knottsville Free Public Library]]
 ''Reference to an article by Glenn Hodges''
 [[Category:Towns]]
+[[Category:Daviess County, Kentucky]]

Adam (talk | contribs)